Working Against It All
by FreeToLive603
Summary: Sonny Munroe is an ambitious and hardworking executive who's too busy to get a real boyfriend. When her family pressures her to bring a date to the annual family reunion, she finds someone she never expected to actually fall for. AU. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim to own Sonny with a Chance or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! I'm developing a new story based off of some of my favorite romantic comedies, as well as my favorite Disney Channel TV show, Sonny with a Chance. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks!

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**Chapter 1:**

Her eyes grazed over her thin, blonde companion. The latter was passing on a mischievous glance to the serious former. An angry comment broke their silence at the posh restaurant.

"I can't believe you did this," Sonny complained.

"I'm just looking out for my best friend," Tawni grinned.

Sonny rolled her eyes and pushed back her long, brown tresses. She was an independent, happy woman, but no one else seemed to believe that. Her close friends had long been pushing her to get into a relationship. The brunette, however, believed that a casual relationship was a frivolous one; for Sonny Tristan Munroe, career defined life. Her job as the marketing director for a large corporation certainly demanded effort and time, time not wasted on just any date.

Yet, here she was, waiting for the blind date Tawni unexpectedly set her up with. She came along to ensure that Sonny didn't bail on the guy like she did last time to the 'hot blonde' Tawni set her up with.

"Oh, he's here. Have fun!" Tawni winked as she left the table. Sonny noticed the flirtatious girl exchange pleasantries with…Chase, was it?

He admittedly did have gorgeous, gelled brown hair that perfectly framed his lightly tan skin and sharp features. "Chase" walked over to Sonny's table and shook her hand. His velvet smooth voice brought upon another surprise. "Hi, I'm Lance." Lance? Sonny thought to her. Where had she gotten the name Chase from? She clearly paid less attention to Tawni than she thought she did.

Sonny grumbled, "Hey. Sonny."

Lance seated himself in front of her, initiating conversation by explaining his relation to Tawni (a distant cousin) and the number of baseball games his team's won in the past season (all of them). A professional athlete with airs to match no other? Sonny braced herself for the long night ahead.

Sonny made it through the evening…somehow, but was aching to reach home. Damn Tawni and her stupid blind dates. Her gray pencil skirt and blue blouse were quickly replaced with loose cotton candy colored pajamas.

Just as Sonny settled in to use her laptop on the bed, her phone rang. "Call from Tawni Hart," the automated voice said. She hated that thing, but always forgot how to turn it off. Sonny groaned, but picked up the phone.

"So…" the sickly sweet voice drawled. "How did it go?"

Sonny was ready to scream at her, but instead chose to pleasantly say, "Tawni dear, if only you knew what kind of jackass you set me up with."

Tawni bit her lip before apologizing and expressing her concern that Sonny would be dateless at her family reunion in two weeks. The industrious girl argued with her saccharine friend, declaring her lack of desire to tangle herself up with a man at this stage. Tawni gave up for the night as Sonny resumed working.

"She'll never let this go," Sonny moaned.

However, Tawni wasn't the only one of concern here. Sonny's parents eagerly wanted to see their 27-year-old daughter get married and have a marvelous life. Sonny was not one to sacrifice her happiness for someone else. As kind, graceful, and supportive defined her, so did stubborn and self-sufficient.

A few weak ideas circled Sonny's head as methods to get her loved ones to STOP talking about her love life. Tell them she never wants to get married? No. Run away? Weak, Sonny, weak. Date a bunch of guys and prove men are worthless? Time consuming.

Suddenly, her fingers stopped typing. Get a fake boyfriend. One of her family's biggest arguments with her was that she never stayed with a guy long enough to see if it would actually work. At least with this plan, they'll think she tried. Where could she get someone willing to do that?

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**Author's Note:** Now, we all know how this is going to go. I hope you're liking the story so far and have subscribed/favorited it. If not, let me know why; I'd certainly like to improve my writing. Also, please check out my Chad/Sonny videos on my YouTube channel: FreeToLive603. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not claim to own Sonny with a Chance or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** Thank you to those who reviewed, favorited, or subscribed. I appreciate the feedback and hope you like this chapter.

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**Chapter 2:**

"Mom, I will have a date, but can't you guys just leave me alone? No, no. Yes! Yes, I know. Bye, mom."

Rafael noticed Ms. Munroe's heels clacking impeccably loudly today. Her hair wasn't curled, either. She was having trouble dating, but that never bothered her before. Then again, the client was pressing for a complete ad film by Friday, when the original completion date was in three weeks. Rafael simply brought the distressed woman her green tea and left. Although Ms. Munroe was a workaholic, she was also the kind of boss to offer her employees bonuses for good work and days off when they really needed them.

"Ms. Munroe, I'll make sure no one bothers you today."

"Thank you, Rafael. I know I can't cancel the meeting, but it can be pushed back today, right?" She contently sighed as his head nodded. "Good, please do so."

"Anytime, Ms. Munroe. I hope you feel better. If you go by me, you might want to stop by the Hideaway. It doesn't sound too appealing, but it's a nice, quiet place to relax," Rafael offered.

Sonny rubbed her temples. Why did she have to be so ambitious? She had to worry about work and getting a stupid guy to agree to her plan. At lunchtime, Sonny exited the now-claustrophobic building for a walk to the Hideaway.

Hugging her gray pea coat closer to her body, Sonny walked through the busy crowd before stopping in front of New York University. Of course! Some Masters-earning student could execute her plan. That way, he would need her monetary resources and would probably be around her age. Sonny stared at the groups of people leaving the building for a meal. Most looked too young, but she did spot a few in their mid-20s.

Then, there he was – a young, handsome blonde with a genuine smile and prim, but underplayed clothing. He stood, his back to her, talking to a few guys. Sonny made her way to him and tapped him on the shoulder. His eyes sparkled blue and questioned her intentions.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Um, yes. Yes. I-uh-I-I-"

"Don't be nervous," he winked to his friends, obviously assuming the sophisticated woman was interested in him. Cute, yes, but Sonny immediately noticed the immaturity present in his mind. A no-no for any guy she was attracted to.

"Could we talk in private?" Sonny regained composure. "If you don't mind my being forward, that is."

The guy endearingly grinned and gave his friends a look. Not one to turn a pretty lady down, he waved to his friends and began walking with Sonny. The duo traveled to a small café called Morning Rise, which was cozy, but elegant.

"So," he began, noticing Sonny's gaze as they walked up to the counter. "I'm Chad."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sonny."

"Yes, you are!" Sonny rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. I'm sure everyone says it!"

"Yeah, I was hoping for something different this time."

They placed their orders at the counter, waiting for their drinks. Awkward silence followed. Sonny stared at Chad's wicked smile, unsure what to think of him. She took a closer look at his outfit: a black dress shirt, jeans, and dress shoes. It suited his young face, but also gave him the appearance of a well-to-do snob. Then again, that might have been his smug grin.

"So, what do you do, Sonny?" Chad asked.

She pursed her lips together before responding. "I'm the marketing director at Yellow Hawk."

Her companion's jaw dropped as he questioned, "The video game corporation? How did you get THERE? Are you even older than me?"

"Yes, hard work, and maybe by a year or two."

The server interrupted Sonny's thoughts by handing them their drinks. Chad motioned to a booth in the back of the café with a hand gesture. He waited for Sonny to sit down before he did. The two remained silent as Sonny sipped her coffee, lightly cursing about the heat of the liquid. She then apologized quietly to Chad, who dismissed her statement. He was more intrigued with why she unexpectedly invited him here.

Sonny pushed aside her embarrassment and approached Chad with her proposition. "Look, I'm in need of some help. Everyone's pressuring me to come to my family reunion with a date, and I really don't want a serious relationship right now. So, I was hoping that you would be willing to act as my fake boyfriend for that night."

The soft featured student stared somewhat incredulously at the desperate girl. Her eyes pleaded for a confirmation from his side, restricting him from turning her down. "You're not serious, are you? You pick a guy off the street to be your date?" Sonny shrugged miserably. "What could you give me in return?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm willing to pay you a few thousand."

Chad smirked. "Seriously? Just to impress your family?"

Sonny nervously bit her lip. "If you don't want to, don't do it. Don't tell anyone about this though, please. It'll save me a lot of embarrassment," she said, standing up from her seat.

He quickly grabbed a hold of her wrist and motioned for her to sit down. She did so and anxiously awaited his next sentence.

"I'll…do it, but only if you can help me get a job once I get my Master's degree. It's a tough market out there, and you have a lot of clout."

Sonny's eyes glinted with joy. What an easy exchange. Of course she could get an NYU graduate a job. "It's a deal!" she exclaimed, shaking his hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not claim to own Sonny with a Chance or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much to everyone who read, commented, favorited, or alerted. As a beginning writer, it's certainly encouraging to know that people are enjoying this story. This is an extremely short chapter, so I apologize. I only have one more chapter written and am in the process of writing the next one. So, updates might be slower, but hopefully, my writing spark will come back for me to finish the chapters sooner. Again, any inconsistencies or constructive criticism is appreciated.

_Individual Thanks To:_ iStemiFan1, DannySamLover20, FranDS44444, It'sLittleMe, Veve2491, mrpuppy, imamazing98, RomanticDudette, 4everyoung, chadsonville, Channylover08, Jantosexytime, ponygal12, shothopes-, There-Will-Be-Love, and my two best friends who have been reading this story! Love to you all.

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**Chapter 3:**

Sonny was nearly jumping for joy after her lunch break. Even her juniors at Yellow Hawk noticed her newfound perk. Soon after the meeting was over, Sonny found herself wondering of this was all too easy. Every part of her plan was executed almost instantaneously. However, she counted it as a part of her life, in which everything happened quickly.

Chad and Sonny had arranged to behave as a new couple and not let anyone, not even Chad's friends, know the pretense. The handsome man had brains as Sonny discovered. He mentioned the creation of a mutual story to avoid confusion and discrepancies at the reunion. The "couple" arranged to meet for dinner over the weekend and invent little memories and their story.

It was a casual dinner where for once, Sonny was able to pull on some jeans and a sweater and go out. She was far too accustomed to business dinners for someone her age. Chad had already ordered a drink by the time Sonny had arrived at Gumby's.

"Hey," he casually greeted as she came over to sit down. "How are you?"

"Hi! Work's been going well. Knowing that this is set in place is certainly making me feel better at work," she smiled.

Chad smiled back and played with the straw in his drink. After the few minutes of deliberating on and ordering food, the two's minds went back to "business." The dim light at the table hid Sonny's laughter when Chad mentioned his ideas for their first meeting. She glanced around at the wood-filled restaurant, avoiding his ridiculous romantic plans.

"Can we get serious?" she interrupted. "Let's just say we met at...the store or something."

Chad blinked. "Uh, how about we don't make me sound like a creeper who hits on random girls? What, did you not like my other ideas?"

Sonny pulled back her sleeves ever so slightly as a waitress set out their steaming meals in front of them. "I don't really think fighting over a fan at a hardware store sounds realistic for me."

"Well, excuse me for being original, Ms. Supermarket."

"Chaaad," she groaned. "Ooh, idea. A recruitment meet for my company. That works, right?" Sonny asked hopefully. Chad shrugged his shoulders and nodded as he dug into his chipotle chicken sandwich. Sonny's mouth watered at the sight of the spicy flavor. Chad noticed her expression and offered her a bite. "No, I'm good, really. I'll be stuffed after I have this...soup," she added incredulously.

Chad used the steak knife at the side of his plate to cut a piece from his sandwich and lay it next to her soup. While doing so, Sonny noticed Chad's sapphire ring. "May I see your ring, Chad?" she asked, taking his hand in hers. The interested girl studied the intricate patterns alongside the ring. "Isn't it brilliant that some ornaments are hand-crafted? How they create such beauty is beyond me."

Her seemingly immature partner responded, "I can show you sometime. My sister made this for me and taught me how to do it."

Sonny's jaw dropped as Chad helped himself to French fries. "How-I mean-what a talent. How old is she?"

Chad frowned slightly and set his food back, while Sonny swirled her soup to cool it down. "She passed away when she was 16. That was just a few years ago."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so personal," Sonny apologized.

"It's alright," he unconvincingly raised the corners of his mouth. His eyes spoke volumes and for once, Sonny was captured by the emotion lying deep behind his crystal blue eyes. Her sight fell to the green of his sweater as she attempted resisting his unmistakable charm. "After all, we have to learn about each other." An awkward pause later, Chad continued smiling. "So, what do you love to eat?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sonny with a Chance.

**Author's Note:** I'm eagerly waiting for Sonny with a Chance to come back. Although So Random! Should be funny, it can't replace the Chad & Sonny relationship. Major thank yous to every single person who encouraged me in any way with this story. I appreciate every gesture, not just reviews. Any side plotlines or character details mentioned will be explained better throughout the chapters or at least play a small role in the story; they're not just said for the sake of creating emotional tension. Feel free to provide constructive criticism, though. I hope you like this chapter!

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**Chapter 4:**

On Saturday, the two traveled throughout the mall, in order to learn more about each other in preparation for D-Day and also, to buy some outfits for the mini retreat. Sonny was a fast shopper, efficient and effective. Chad noticed her great ability to find designer clothes for half price. He, on the other hand, was a weak shopper.

"Just how long does it take you to decide between green and red?" Sonny sighed exasperatedly as Chad stared at an array of polos.

"Well, I'll have you know that I rarely shop. Which one do you think I should buy?"

"Um, the blue one. It'll look good with your eyes."

"And who in their right mind will compare my eye color to the color of my polo?" Chad asked satirically.

Sonny chuckled, "Is anyone really in their right mind, Cooper?"

"Touché. Blue, it is," he said whilst picking up the simple shirt. "So, if I've been dating you for six months, I should have heard a little about your family, right?" the curious blonde asked, instigating a new topic of conversation.

Sonny smiled thoughtfully. "I have a pretty awesome, although sometimes overbearing, family. My dad is a retired hotel manager, and my mom worked as a reading specialist in my elementary school. They both grew up in different parts of Connecticut before deciding to move to South Carolina after marriage."

"Mmhm. Siblings? Close relatives?"

"I'm getting there, Mr. Impatient. Bryce, my brother, is two years older than I. He's got his law degree and working in a firm."

"Jeez, your parents raised some smart kids," Chad commented.

Sonny smiled gratefully. "Thanks! I'm sorta chill with my brother, but both of us have such demanding careers, it's hard to meet and such."

"Where does he live?"

"Suburbs around Nashville with his wife and two kids."

Chad groaned, "Ooh, no wonder your parents are pressing down on you."

"Exactly!" Sonny exclaimed as they walked up to the attendant with their newfound pleasures.

Two hours later, they entered a posh boutique down the street for their formal outfits. The last night of the family reunion was always a sophisticated dinner and dance retreat at a top-class restaurant. Sonny sifted through plenty of gowns delivered to her by the skinny, heavily made up snoot working at the store. Some were the wrong color, others obviously would not fit her style, and a few were just ugly. Throughout this excavation, Chad had been peering over a few shorter dresses pushed to the back of the room. When he noted Sonny's frustrated expression, he pulled her over.

"What's your opinion on deep jade?"

"Deep jade?" Sonny questioned disbelievingly. Chad pointed at a specific dress that outwardly seemed too eclectic as a design.

"Try it on," he encouraged.

"Chad, that's not my style," Sonny said reluctantly. She eyed the dress again and moved her glance to the pleading man's eyes. "Fine," she gave in requesting the attention of an attendant who took the dress out for her.

Chad seated himself near the dressing room and smiled when Somny came out. He was right; she looked beautiful. "What do you think?" she nervously asked. He exaggeratedly let his jaw drop and pointed to his face to show his speechlessness. Sonny giggled uncharacteristically and cleared her throat.

The unfamiliar feeling of a teenage crush took over Sonny's body as Chad walked over to her. He bent down slightly to whisper, "You know, if I have to fake romance you while you're wearing that, I might take this kind of job up professionally." Sonny raised her eyes to his, biting back a smile before reminding herself that the relationship was a farce.

"I'm glad I'm making the job easier for you," she winked as she walked back into the dressing room. She plopped down onto the small ledge muttering, "I can't believe I just flirted with my fake boyfriend." Chad brought out sides of Sonny that she forgot ever existed.

As the 'couple' left the boutique after making more expensive holes in their pockets, Chad noticed someone walking towards them. "Oh, no. Willow, one of my friends." Sonny nodded understandingly. "Are you ready for Act I?" he asked Sonny, putting his arm around her waist.

She cleared her throat. "It'll be a good trial run." Suddenly, the two bags she held in her right hand seemed heavier than ever. She wanted to drop them to the gray pavement and run. At this point, her plan seemed to be doomed to fail due to her anxiety.

"Chad!" an exclamation interrupted her thoughts. The radiant tan skin of the average-sized girl highlighted the dark eyes peering at Sonny. "This is the girl who we saw the other day, isn't it?" Realization dawned on her. "You liar! She's your girlfriend?"

Chad threw her an unsure grin. "I'm sorryyyy," he drawled. "Sonny and I weren't sure of exactly where we were going and pretended we didn't know each other." Sonny let out a silent prayer to God thanking Him for letting Chad be a good liar. Her companion squeezed her, initiating an introduction between the two.

"Sonny, I'm glad to see somebody's putting up with this worthless man," Willow joked, hitting Chad's shoulder. He glared at her. "Take a joke, Chad. I'm kidding. I hope to see more of you, Sonny."

"Likewise, and I'll be sure to come to you if Chad's ever ticking me off," Sonny grinned, faking an admiring smile at Chad. He stuck his tongue out at her, and the three bid their goodbyes.

While walking, Chad let go of Sonny's waist and high fived her. "We can so do this. We should've been in Hollywood!" Sonny's laugh echoed in his mind for a moment because both now knew that these few weeks would be entertaining.


End file.
